Parts of a parched Calcutta were able to cheer a drizzle on Friday evening, although it lasted barely a few minutes.
Rain was reported from Cossipore, New Town, Salt Lake and some other parts on the city’s northern fringes. Alipore, where Calcutta’s official rain count is measured, received less than 1mm.
Gusts of wind momentarily cooled the atmosphere and the streaks of lightning triggered hope of a squall. Although the rainfall eventually proved meagre, it was the first time since February 28 — 60 days ago — that Calcutta had received rain.
The Met office, which had forecast a powerful thunderstorm in Calcutta only on or after May 2, held out some hope.
“Because of a trough and the increase in moisture incursion, a spell of thundershower is not ruled out in parts of Calcutta on Saturday and Sunday,” a weather official said.
Calcutta has since 1980 never had a completely dry March and April, according to Met records.
“We have records from 1980 ready at our disposal. Since 1980, there hasn’t been a year in which neither March nor April got a drop of rain in Calcutta,” said G.K. Das, director, India Meteorological Department, Calcutta.
Murshidabad, Nadia, Birbhum, Bankura and West Burdwan witnessed a thunderstorm on Friday afternoon.
In Krishnagar, Nadia, a man riding a two-wheeler died after parts of a tree fell on him during the storm.
Parts of Howrah, Hooghly and North 24-Parganas received a brief spell of thunderstorm and rain in the evening.
A trough of low pressure, extending from eastern Uttar Pradesh to north Bengal, caused the change in the weather.
“The increased moisture incursion and sufficient heating of the Chhotanagpur plateau led to the formation of thunderclouds. Clouds from the core of the system moved towards Nadia, Murshidabad and surrounding areas. The weak residual clouds came to Calcutta,” Das said.
Dry spell
The prolonged rainless spell in Calcutta has amplified people’s suffering, otherwise this April has not been among the hottest in recent years, Met officials said.
The average maximum temperature so far this month has been 35.2 degrees Celsius, according to Met records. In April last year, it was 36.3 degrees. April 2016 saw an average maximum temperature of 37.3 degrees.
The average maximum in April over the past 30 years has been 35.3 degrees.
What has been different this year is the lack of rain. “Usually, a couple of days of scorching heat is followed by a spell of rain or thundershower. But this year has been exceptional,” Das said.
For example, on April 4 last year, the mercury had touched almost 37 degrees in Calcutta. The same evening, the city witnessed a squall and the day after, over 30mm of rain.
The maximum temperature recorded at the Met office in Alipore was around 36 degrees on Friday, a dip from the past few days. The high moisture content, however, increased the discomfort index.
The Celsius stayed above 40 degrees in Purulia and Jhargram on Friday as well.
From Sunday, the heat-wave conditions are expected to abate in the districts.
A low-pressure area is expected to form over the South Andaman Sea around May 4, a Met official said.
“May is a ripe time for systems on the sea to get stronger. This one is also tipped to become a well-marked low. What happens after that remains to be seen,” he said.
